skill-creator

name	skill-creator
description	Use to generate a new SKILL.md file from a user-described capability. Meta-skill for extending the playbook when a recurring workflow gap is identified.

Skill Creator

Use this skill when a recurring workflow pattern has been identified but no existing skill covers it. This skill produces a new skills/<name>/SKILL.md file following the standard structure.

When to use

• The self-evolution protocol identifies a new skill need (not just a rule or wording change)
• A user explicitly requests a new reusable skill
• A feedback loop mini retrospective flags the same friction 3+ times and the friction maps to a missing reusable capability

Pre-conditions

Before generating a skill:

1. Search existing skills — verify no current skill already covers the capability (check skills/*/SKILL.md names and descriptions).
2. Confirm scope — the capability must be reusable across at least 2 task types or 2 roles. One-off procedures should remain in docs/agent-templates.md as templates, not skills.
3. User approval required — skill creation always requires human approval regardless of trust level (same rule as evolution proposals in docs/operating-rules.md → Self-evolution guardrails).

Generation procedure

Step 1: Define the skill boundary

Produce a brief specification before writing any content:

Skill name: <kebab-case, e.g., api-contract-review>
Description: <one sentence — what this skill does and when to use it>
Trigger condition: <when should this skill activate>
Activation tier: <Always | Conditional | On-demand>
Estimated token cost: <low ~500 | medium ~1500 | high ~3000>
Roles that use it: <which roles invoke this skill>

Present the specification to the user for approval before proceeding.

Step 2: Generate the SKILL.md

Use this skeleton:

---
name: <skill-name>
description: <one-sentence description matching the spec>
---

# <Skill Title>

Use this skill to <purpose>.

## When to run

<Trigger condition and scale-based adaptation>

## Procedure

<Numbered steps>

## Conformance self-check

- [ ] <Verification item 1>
- [ ] <Verification item 2>

## Use this skill when

<Bullet list of activation scenarios>

Ensure the generated skill follows existing patterns:

• Frontmatter must include name and description fields.
• Include a "Conformance self-check" section with checkbox items.
• Include a "Use this skill when" section at the end.
• Reference other skills or docs by relative path, not absolute.

Step 3: Integration checklist

After generating the skill file, complete these updates in the same task:

• Create skills/<name>/SKILL.md
• Add to docs/agent-playbook.md → Skill activation tiers (correct tier table)
• Add to prompt-budget.yml → skills.on_demand (default tier for new skills)
• Update skill count in AGENTS.md and docs/agent-playbook.md
• Update CHANGELOG.md
• If the skill is Conditional: document the trigger condition in the Conditional tier table

Step 4: Validation

• The generated SKILL.md has valid frontmatter (name and description)
• The skill does not duplicate an existing skill's coverage
• The estimated token cost is documented in the specification
• All integration checklist items are addressed
• Markdown lint passes on the new file

Constraints

• Maximum 1 new skill per evolution cycle — creating skills is expensive in token terms; batch creation risks bloat. This limit is a subset of the 3-proposal cap in docs/operating-rules.md → Self-evolution guardrails (maximum 3 proposals per cycle, of which at most 1 may be a new skill).
• On-demand by default — new skills start as On-demand until proven valuable enough to promote to Conditional or Always.
• Evergreen review — if a generated skill is not used within 10 tasks, it should be reviewed for removal during the next quality signal review.

Conformance self-check

• Searched existing skills before generating
• Confirmed reusability across 2+ task types or roles
• User approved the skill specification
• Generated file follows the standard SKILL.md skeleton
• Integration checklist completed (playbook, budget, changelog updated)

Use this skill when

• Self-evolution identifies a missing reusable capability
• User requests a new workflow skill
• Recurring friction maps to a gap in the current skill set